Best Dog-Friendly Camping near John Day Lock and Dam, Lake Umatilla

Spent a fun weekend here. Site was easy to back into. Clean and level. Lots of shade and grass. Allows pets (on leash) fun little park for the kids and nice little beach for swimming.

We were so glad we kept driving down this road until the very end. Along this road (Lower Deschutes Access Road- which is pretty bumpy but we did fine with our camper) you will pass several other campgrounds- Twin Springs, Jones Canyon, Beavertail Recreation Site, Rattlesnake Canyon- and then at the very end of the road, you will find Macks Canyon Recreation Site. 

It was fairly empty when we arrived and we got an awesome site along the river, site 11. The view of the river was amazing and we watched lots of fishing boats and rafting boats go by. There is also a railroad track across the river and it was fun to watch the trains go by. No AT&T phone service here. 

The only negative is that it can get super windy. At one point we were frantically trying to get our awning down from the Cricket and things were flying everywhere. The wind lasted about an hour and then things calmed down again. 

From the end of the Lower Deschutes Access Road just above the campground, you can hike along the old railway line. Again, amazing views of the Deschutes and the canyon. We did about 5 miles road trip but you could go further.

One of my new favorite places to camp in Oregon!

Located on the Hood River, right off Highway 35 near the small town of Parkdale, this park was an unexpected pleasant find. The sites used to be reservable, but are now first come, first available. The camp host was very friendly as was the resident cat, Huck, who came right up to us and hung out for a while. The sites offer a varying amount of privacy; the East Fork loop is more of an open space, with the sites close together and closer to the road (you will hear road noise). But, the sites along the Hood River (West Fork Loop) are separated by trees and much nicer (and a little more expensive but worth it). Site 82, a sort-of pull through, is right on the river. Showers were nice with lots of hooks; restrooms were reasonably clean but only had cold water. Only negative: the dumpster was overflowing; hopefully, this was just left over from the Memorial Day weekend. Nice, large day use area with a playground. Excellent internet/cell coverage.

So we love water. This place is dog and kid friendly. It has beautiful green lawns that run from the parking lot to the beach. There is a train track close by and the 84 is also close by. You can stay for free for up to 14 days. We have a generator and a 40’ fifth wheel. We had plenty of parking. Restrooms are very clean, but no showers.

We also have a four year old son and a dog.

I spent a beautiful lazy weekend there with my bf and dogs 🐶.

Friendly host who answers phone herself. Separate sections for short- and long-term guests. Level pull-through sites with gravel and well- kept grassy areas in between. Modern bath house and laundry area. Lots of potted flowers. Dog-walking area. Distant traffic noise from I-84. I would stay there again in a heartbeat.

This is a beautiful campground with lots of trees and spacious sites. Great view of the river with clean and well kept sites. There is a cool walking trail with various exercise equipment along the path. Dog 🐕 friendly and clean/hot showers.

Some of the cleanest facilities that we've seen so far. There are flushing toilets and shower rooms for use. We didn't have an encounter with the ground's hosts, probably because they were working to keep the grounds so well kept! We just happened on these grounds because a nearby location was filled. We won at the end! The grounds are right on the Hood River, dog and family friendly. The heat was so much that we were over the moon about being able to walk just a few feet to the refreshing river. Others were swimming and having a blast in the water. Our dog really enjoyed walking along the rocks just in the water. We had a picnic along the river and enjoyed watching the sun go down and the fly fishers come out to catch their bounty. Our evening was picturesque and another reason that we are so fortunate to be able to enjoy these opportunities!

This State Campground is very close to the highway, so it is very convenient! Some reviews mentioned noise from the highways on each side, but we couldn’t here road noise in the RV with the air conditioning on!!!! The RV spots are very big with a little privacy! Lots of area to walk, and a nice, well maintained swimming beach where you can watch the windsurfers! Dog friendly, too!

Arrived late and found an envelope with all my check in details posted in front of the office, including park map with highlighted route to my site. All of the facilities were clean and the ground were clear of litter and well maintained, which must be a challenge considering the lawns between the sites. Rufus itself is not a destination; we were in and out in one night, but we found the Rufus RV Park to be a peaceful and dog-friendly stopover.

We stayed here in the off season, it’s first come first served parking, which ended up being really great for us. We got to park with a view of the river and away from other RVs. The spaces are large, there is a bathroom and showers on site. There is a nice walking path, and loads of grass and beach and places to walk your dog. We all had a very nice overnight experience.

Bigger than it looks at first. You can pretty much camp wherever you can drive to. Lots of spots right next to the river. In March the river was pretty swift and the edge sort of steep so we stayed near the boat ramp because we didn’t want our dogs to fall in. I’ve been there in late spring and summer and the river is not nearly as swift. Not very busy when we went. Fire circles made it pretty obvious where “sites” were located.

I'm on a road trip of the John Day Fossil Bed Units. I stopped in Moro, OR for a couple of days to resupply before heading to Cottonwood Canyon State Park. This is another small town, fairgrounds campground, but it's awesome. Quiet, clean with a great open, off leash area for dogs and full hookups. At the time of the writing they also have an awesome host! There aren't many supply options in town so if you need major groceries, go to The Dalles, propane go to Wasco, gas go to Biggs or the Dalles.....you get the picture. Moro also has a must see museum.

It was such a beautiful drive out the gorge to Lyle, and then up the hill to this great spot. The hosts greeted us on arrival and explained that we could drive around the property to find the perfect spot for us. There’s a big field with play equipment for kids, and pine trees below, where we found a nice spot with half shade, picnic table, and fire ring. Over the weekend there were maybe 10 other groups on the property but spread out pretty nicely. The family hosting is super nice and their dogs loved to visit. Really quiet at night with great star gazing. Definitely recommend!

Good weekend getaway from Portland. I had a decent-sized back-in site with fire ring and picnic table and room enough for my hammock. The pull-through sites run along the water’s edge, offering water views but smaller pads and tragically, blocking my view. There’s no shade but the breeze kept things cool enough. Site hookups include 50 amp and water. Dump station was in good shape. The park is well-maintained. My dog had a large area to run off-leash (not sure if this is technically permitted but no one complained), splash around and chase birds. We did the nearby Deschutes River Canyon trail. You can easily put in a kayak or SUP for paddling at the campground.

After spending many weekends in this campground, I've definitely fallen in love with it.

The only time I've seen it anywhere near full was Labor Day Weekend when there's a community swap meet about a third of a mile away. Even then, there were plenty of sites to snag.

There are flush toilets and pay showers through mid September. After that, they bring in porta potties.

Sites have a 5 vehicle max, so they're good for groups. Each site has a water spigot. The campground is dog friendly.

No views of Adams from here, but a quick walk or bike ride away will provide some stunning views on a clear day.

This camp ground is fantastic, sites are very well maintained and level. Full service hook ups including sewer. Great segregated tent camp area with available water. Bathrooms are very clean and well maintained. Dog area is very big and clean. The campground is very close to the main railroad tracks and trains come by every hour or so at all times of the day. If your inside your RV with the AC on you can hear faint noise, if your are tent camping bring some ear plugs. After 3 days you actually become accustomed to the sounds and it is a actually a cool viewing attraction, especially if you have kids. Overall great visit and if we are this way again we will be back.

The camp ground has 2 sides. One heavy with RVs and Trailers and the other more for tents.

Prices are reasonable but it is popular so often very busy and lots of campers.

Our dog doesn’t like slow moving cars, bikes or other “weird” things…. So this park is a last resort if we can find open BLM.

This is close to the train. I personally love it. I camp in the area often. The train runs once or twice a night. Sometimes it wakes me, most of the time I sleep through it.

The folks that run the camp ground are nice and the place is clean. They have great hot showers if you are staying for an extended time.